EXPO 2019 is meant to reduce importation of goods,says Minister,Science and Technology

January 12th, 2019

From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.

The minister of Science and Technology,Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has explained that the objectives of Technology symposium tagged “EXPO 2019″scheduled to hold at Michael Okpara square,Enugu from Monday January 14 to Friday January 18 is to discover and explore avenues of adding values to Nigerian goods and by so doing curtail the rate of importation of goods that can be produced in Nigeria.

Dr Onu dropped this hints while fielding questions from news men on Friday after his inspection of level of preparations for the event at Okpara square.

“We want to reduce the importation of those goods that can either be manufactured or produced in Nigeria since many of our laboratories,researchers and universities have proved they can produce them”.

He explained that the 5- day event with theme”Science,Technology and innovation for economic recovery and sustainable growth” at the long run will ptovide job opportunities for Nigerian Youths when the locally produced goods are being utilised by Nigerians and have markets in the country .

He disclosed that foreign companies with special interest in discovering innovations in the country with objectives of improving on their commercial value are being expected in the symposium just as the Nigerian companies,both private and public sector.

He assured that patent rights of every inventor discovered at the event will be protected by “RAMP” an agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology established to ease the problems of protecting the ownership rights of inventors to their products.

He disclosed that the first and second edition of the event were held at Abuja but have decided to reach out to states on hosting of the Technology symposium which he said will be an snnual event,henceforth.